Conventional video games, online video games, personal computer (i.e., PC) games, console games, and handheld or mobile games (i.e., “gaming”) are becoming increasingly prolific in titles, distribution, and revenues. Increasing available bandwidth due to faster network connection speeds and computing resources are enabling the development of more sophisticated games with technically complex and diverse functions. In some conventional games, virtual worlds or artificially created and rendered environments are created to allow games, players, or users (“users”) to interact with each other and virtual environments. Typically, personal computers are used for interaction with a virtual environment given increasing computer processor and storage resources. In other conventional examples, mobile, personal, or handheld devices are also allowing users to interact with virtual environments. However, conventional solutions for interacting with a virtual environment are problematic.
Using conventional solutions, access to a virtual environment is often slow. In some conventional solutions, substantial delays are incurred during game play or interaction, which reduces the consumer and commercial appeal of computer software, programs, or applications (i.e., “applications”), resulting in lowered revenues and success in individual titles, games, and platforms. Further, the gaming industry is highly cyclical and competitive, which results in many unsuccessful conventional gaming solutions. Online game such as massively multiplayer online games (i.e., MMOG) often depend upon the acquisition of user subscriptions in order to generate revenue. However, if a conventional game is slow, not real-time, or unable to use existing computing resources and bandwidth, users will not engage and buy or subscribe to a given title.
In conventional gaming, extension of game features and functions to encompass web-based (i.e., World Wide Web-based data communication using hyper text transfer protocol (HTTP)) interactivity are often included. However, conventional web-based interactivity is very limited, slow, and not real-time in game play. In some conventional examples, users are able to perform limited functions over the web such as reviewing a game character inventory, characteristics, features, or attributes. Other conventional solutions enable users to review or update information associated with his account. Further, conventional MMO solutions enable game play, but not in real-time. In short, conventional solutions enabling web-based gaming interaction are limited, unappealing, and unsuccessful. Conventional web-based interaction in gaming is very limited in features and functions. Conventional solutions do not allow for web-based interaction that results in interactive game play and the use of cached data while “offline” (i.e., not connected) results in a substantially reduced user experience.
Typically, conventional solutions rely upon the use of synchronous data communication techniques that implement client-based requests and server-generated responses. Web-based client requests for data are often answered slowly with responsive data being retrieved from a networked storage facility or server. Further, conventional solutions for establishing persistent data communication links between a web-based client and a game server have not been successfully implemented in web browsers using document object model (DOM), persistent connection protocols such as user datagram protocol (UDP). Transmission of data in conventional solutions using UDP is problematic since lost packets, errors, and other detriments are not detected as transmission of data between a client and a server are sent without error correction or checking, which results in game play errors. Still further, web-based data communication protocols such as transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP) require substantial processor resources for performing protocol-based functions such as error checking, checksum calculation, and correction, typically requiring high bandwidth, resulting in slow game play (i.e. processing). In other words, transmission of data in conventional solutions using TCP/IP uses error correction techniques such as checksums, but is processor-intensive and can command resources such that a server may be slowed substantially, causing latencies and slow game play. Conventional solutions have not successfully implemented asynchronous data communication techniques between web-based game clients and game servers due to low bandwidth capacities. In other words, the increasing features, functionality, and user experiences (e.g., look-and-feel of virtual worlds due to enhanced graphics and rendering technologies) in gaming require high bandwidth capabilities that exceed those available from existing web-based clients and devices.
Thus, what is needed is a solution for web-based gaming or virtual world interaction without the limitations of conventional techniques.